It's finally happened to me...

That's right, it's finally happened to me. The painful, horrible feeling that new moms can get and become discouraged from breastfeeding. I suppose it is about that time for most moms. I'm talking about the dry, cracking skin that becomes red and sometimes bleed on the breastfeeding nipples. I suppose this is about the right time. I stopped nursing from one side last night and applied some lanolin. I looked at my nipple this morning and saw there was a lot of cracked skin, and the redness wasn't just redness. It looked like William actually has his four front teeth and bit hard. William is teething, and he's been biting, pulling and scraping. So am I going to give up?

Heck no! Breastfeeding is extremely important to me and William is so attached and I can't see giving up because of a minor setback. So I followed a few simple instructions. I'm still researching to know more of what I can do, but so far, this is what I have found.

If you are a first time breastfeeder and you have seen the cracked skin, you may not even realize what is wrong. You think, "oh, he's been sucking for a while, and that's going to happen." Yes, it can happen, but it can also lead to something even more horrible. If you don't do anything about it, it can become infected. You may not even realize it has become worse until you see a little blood in the baby's diaper or maybe even some pink in your pumped milk. Through all of this, you will definitely feel the pain, even though you think it may be normal, it really isn't, just a common issue among breastfeeders.

It's okay to still nurse or pump even when this happens. Your cracked or bleeding nipples may be relieved by using lanolin or gel pads, a salt-water rinse or even breastmilk (it is a natural antibiotic). The reasons for these causes can be a bad latch or suckle, bad positioning, you may have thrush (white, cheesy patches on the insides of baby's cheeks and lips and the mother's nipples are shiny, reddened, swollen and tender; some mothers complain their nipples itch or even burn), a problem with the breast pump or the baby may have even bit you.

Here are some tips from one of my favorite books: The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins, R.N., M.S. I have the 20th Anniversary, 5th Edition. If you don't already have this book, I would suggest getting it! There is also a new edition, 25th Anniversary, 6th Edition. I believe this edition also comes in Spanish.

If you are unable to tolerate the pain and there are no Lactation Consultants available, you may want to stop nursing; pump your milk with a fully automatic electric pump (anything other may not be enough to maintain your milk supply) for 24 to 72 hours, or until the nipples heal.
Here are some General Comfort Measures:

Take Tylenol or a script from your doctor a half hour before nursing
If there is one, nurse on the less sore side
Avoid nipple shields
Massage your breasts while nursing to encourage the milk to flow and to speed emptying
Restrict nursing to about ten to fifteen minutes per side if you are sore during the entire feeding
Release the baby's suction hold carefully before removing the baby from the breast
Air-dry the nipples after each feeding.
Change nursing pads, don't use the ones lined with plastic, after each nursing and when they become wet
Wear cotton or microfiber bras to allow for adequate air circulation
Avoid excessive washing of your nipples. You can rinse them in your daily bath/shower, but avoid getting soap on them
Do wash your hands before handling your breasts
Leave scabs and blisters alone
Do not delay nursings. Shorter, more frequent nursings (every hour to three hours) are easier on the nipples
If using a pump use it at least eight times a day to keep up your supply

If thrush is not the problem, and none of these treatments are working, examine your nipple for a slight reddening and a burning feeling; this may indicate nipple dermatitis. This can result from bacterial growth on the nipples or an allergic response to a nipple cream, oil, or to laundry detergents.

If you do suspect nipple dermatitis, you should consult a doctor.

The ideal doctor is a dermatologist. You may try your obstetrician, but if he or she is reluctant or their remedy is ineffective, see a dermatologist.

I did ask another breastfeeding mom, who is also a holistic mom, if she has heard of anything that might be helpful. She has heard of moms using tea bags and cabbage leaves.

I hope this info has been of great help to you and I hope you find relief in your sore nipples. If you hear of any other remedies or know of some, please post them in the comments or post them at the Breastfeeding Advocates group.